Actually my Zune isn’t busted, it’s the software that no longer will work properly with my Vista PC which was recently wiped clean by malware from Kodak. This turns out to be a common problem I’ve learned from Zune support forums. No being wiped out from Kodak, which is also common I hear, but reflashed PCs not working with Zune software.
I went through all their fixes and it still doesn’t work right. I get dozens of errors messages I have to click through to get off the screen even though the software still operates in the background.
So at home I’ve been using Windows Media Player to do all my ripping and Media Center to play, which I like but my 30GB Zune doesn’t get updated too much now since it’s such a pain to use the Zune software.
I’ve downloaded iTunes because Courtney’s getting a new iPhone for her birthday. I like the fact that you can rip everything in high-quality MP3 and not do AAC. But the software is still glitchy on my now-clean, very powerful PC. It takes forever to scroll and the search isn’t as good as the Zune Software. Nor is it as pretty or as fast as Vista’s Windows Media Center.
In the end all the problems would be solved if Microsoft let the Zune players work with WMP. I can’t believe they went the route they did, especially now that the second generation of Zunes is being rated so highly in the press. I think they’d really put the Samsungs, Creatives, iRivers in straights if they did this.
I was virtual-shopping – I’m not buying anything just looking - new media players and for the money the new Zune 80GB is by far the best player. But I would never buy a new Zune because of the software issues. So, I’m stuck with my old 30GB brown one with the stale music.
If I was buying new what would you suggest? Bite the bullet and get an iPod? I think the next Touch would be a good alternative, but the current one is so pricey. I hate the click wheel of other iPods too.
I’d like something that’s good with video so maybe something like Creative’s Zen W30? I hear that’s being replaced soon too. The Archos version is too expensive and big. Or I could just go small and cheap, but I like having 30GB at least. Let me know what you think of all of this.
